Page 68 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

Babi continued, “I wanted to offer you something from my family. I wore this dress in 1953 when I married Havel’s grandfather. You don’t have to accept it as it’s quite old-fashioned, but perhaps you can cut it down and have it refurbished into a veil.”

“It’s beautiful.” Leeza stared fixedly down at the fabric, a longing for her mother striking her hard. For Leeza’s first wedding, Dasha had flown Leeza to New York where they met with one of the most exclusive dress designers in the world to come up with the perfect creation for Leeza’s wedding. It had been a wonderful mother-daughter bonding trip, but the dress itself had been symbolic of her bondage to Adam. Babi’s dress meant so much more to her. “Thank you,” she whispered when she could speak again. “I will take very good care of it.”

Babi placed a hand on Leeza’s shoulder. “You miss your mother, don’t you?”

Leeza nodded.

“She’s here with you, I’m sure of it. Close your eyes and reach out with your heart. You’ll feel her. Like my dear husband who never really left me, I’m certain your mother is still with you.”

Leeza did as Babi suggested and closed her eyes for a minute, breathing in the pleasant scent of lavender and powder that filtered through Babi’s bedroom. She could almost picture her mother, with her sleek dark hair swept up into a knot, tapping her long lacquered nails impatiently as Leeza tried on dress after dress, veil after veil.

A smile curved Leeza’s lips as she remembered the way Dasha had told the dressmaker to spare no expense, that her daughter must look like a princess on her wedding day. As awful as her marriage to Adam was, that trip to New York had been perfect.

Opening her eyes, Leeza smiled at her soon-to-be grandmother-in-law. “Thank you for the dress and for being so nice to me after… well after what happened between me and Havel.”

“Nonsense. As I said before, you didn’t have a choice in your first marriage. My grandson knows it and always has. Maybe he was angry for a time, but he’s seeing clearly now.”

A loud bang at the door had both women jumping.

Anne shoved the door open and walked in, a frown marring her features. “You’ve been in here a long time. Do you need help with something, Babi?”

“No dear,” Babi said with a hint of impatience. “I told you I needed a few minutes alone with Leeza.”

Anne’s eyes fell on the gown laying across their laps. She looked shocked, then angry, her face flushing as she stared. “Y-your wedding dress. Is this why you had me unpack it from storage?”

“Yes, indeed I did.” Babi used a railing attached to the bed to pull herself up. “My grandson’s bride needs something old for her wedding and I thought I would provide it.”

Leeza stood as well, holding the dress against her body.

It was awkward and uncomfortable to see Anne trying to control her facial features. When she smiled, it looked ghoulish, almost painful. “How nice, but I’m sure it’s much too old-fashioned...”

“Not at all,” Leeza rushed to cut the other woman off before she could say anything that might upset Babi. “It’s perfect.”

“Of course.” Anne looked away and schooled her features into a more pleasant expression.

Leeza wondered what was going on in the woman's head. Was she in love with Havel and if so, would she become a problem? Ayaan had hinted that Anne had some issues. Maybe this is what she sensed.

“Be a dear and help me pack it back into the garment bag so Leeza can take it with her without Havel seeing.”

Babi was not reading the room.

The tide of red returned to Anne’s face as she mechanically complied with Babi’s request, hanging the dress in its bag and zipping it up before handing it to Leeza.

Wanting to smooth over the tense moment, Leeza said warmly to Anne, “I’d like to invite you to my bachelorette party. My sister is throwing one for me on Friday. Can you attend?” The wedding was scheduled for Sunday and Leeza wanted Havel’s relatives to like her and these two women were his only family. She didn’t want her relationship with Anne to start under a cloud of jealousy and anger.

Babi answered for Anne. “Of course she’ll be there. She must represent the women of this family.” Taking Anne’s arm for support, she reached for her walker. “You take such wonderful care of me, you deserve a night out.”

“Sounds like fun.” Anne managed a faint smile but didn’t meet Leeza’s eyes as she helped Babi from the room.

Leeza trailed behind them. When she entered the living room it was to find Havel chasing Kris around the table. Kris was screeching and laughing in a way Leeza had never heard before. It warmed Leeza’s heart to see her future husband playing with her son with such wild abandon. It made her want to join in.

Havel grinned when he caught sight of her, then reached under the table, gripping Kris's ankle and drawing him out. They laughed loudly as Havel tossed him up in his arms.

Kris patted Havel's shoulder and Leeza knew their bonding was complete. A pat on the shoulder meant he loved the person holding him.

“You ready to go?” Havel asked her, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her standing next to his grandmother and cousin.

She nodded, but it was Anne who spoke. “I’d like a word with you about your grandmother.”

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